Board Certified Behavior Analyst Certification

What will I study?

The Board Certified Behavior Analyst course work focuses on the application of applied
behavior analysis to help children and adults become more independent in home, school,
and community settings. You will learn how to conduct assessments, design instructional
programs to increase skills, and to address challenging behaviors. The practicum
offers the opportunity to gain supervised experience under the mentorship of a Board
Certified Behavior Analyst and takes place across four semesters.

What kinds of work will I be able to do?

Board Certified Behavior Analysts can work in a variety of settings, including homes,
schools, and other locations in the community. Although behavior analysts can work
with a variety of populations, most work with individuals with autism spectrum disorders
and related disabilities. You will likely design and oversee treatment plans, consult
with parents and teachers, and direct support staff to help them implement instructional
programs and respond more effectively to challenging behaviors.

What kinds of research will I be able to do?

You may have opportunities to assist program faculty who specialize in applied behavior
analysis with intervention research projects.

Typical Course Work

Our six graduate-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst courses have been verified
by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board to meet their current requirements for
preparing Board Certified Behavior Analysts.

In our courses, you will learn about the characteristics of individuals with autism,
how to design effective instruction for individuals with severe disabilities, how
to use the basic principles of applied behavior analysis to change behavior; how to
conduct individualized assessment and intervention of challenging behavior; how to
read and analyze single-case intervention research, and considerations for ethical
and professional practice in applied behavior analysis.

What is the application process like?

Becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst requires a qualifying master’s degree
in education, psychology, or behavior analysis. If you already have a qualifying
master’s degree, you can apply to take the Board Certified Behavior Analyst course
work and practicum as a non-degree seeking student.

If you don’t already have a qualifying master’s degree, you can apply to one of our
master’s degrees in Special Education and concurrently take the BCBA® courses.

Where can I see the pass-rate data for this program?

The University of South Carolina's Board Certified Behavior Analyst Certification
course sequence has been verified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Our
sequence did not meet the criterion for pass-rate data publication because we had
fewer than six first-time candidates in a single year.